


Her Father's Daughter

by twentysixletters



Series: More Than Family [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Molly has no idea who her dad is, Molly is gonna be a hunter, Sam and Dean come in at the end, Winchester Sister, again this is before canon but not quite so far, idk - Freeform, its been so long I'm sorry, john might come into it, no romances with canon characters, read part one first
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-11 18:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5638105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twentysixletters/pseuds/twentysixletters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Abbie Simmons, the ex-girlfriend of John Winchester, struggles to hide her past from their daughter Molly. Their lives take a turn Abbie really didn't want.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Belonging

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it's been so long, December was really (really) busy! Hope you enjoy this new story.

Early summer 2008

Molly spun her pen between her fingers absent-mindedly as her teacher droned on in the background. This lesson had already dragged on way past its natural lifespan, and the warm sunlight beaming through the windows was trying to lull her into sleep. Her mind had wandered far away from the classroom to the gymnastics routine she was trying to learn. There was one particularly tricky move in it that she was determined to master during practice that evening. 

“Miss Simmons?”

The teacher’s sharp voice pierced her happy bubble, and slowly, she floated back to the present, not bothering to hide her disgruntled expression.

“Yes?” 

If it was possible, her teacher’s lips thinned even further. Molly wondered idly if she should be worried about getting into trouble. Probably not, she decided.

“I was simply enquiring as to whether you would be gracing us with your mental presence today.”

Molly considered this for a second before replying. “Probably not, no.”

The class burst out laughing, and Molly grinned lazily as she basked in the sound. Her teacher glared.

“Well, sadly for you, you don’t have a choice in the matter. Please pay attention or else I shall be forced to contact your parents.” 

Molly snorted. “Go on then.”

It didn’t look like she knew what to say to that. She spluttered for a few seconds before pointing to the door. “Go and wait for me in the front office.”

With deliberate casualness, she collected her things and packed them neatly into her bag. Whilst she did, the colour seemed to be leaking out of the teacher’s face, leaving it an unpleasant grey-white. She picked up her bag and sauntered away, taking great care to close the door gently behind her. 

She hadn’t spent too much time in this particular front office, but it wasn’t any different to the ones she’d been in before. Neutral, peeling paint on the walls, a row of plastic chairs, bored receptionist reading a romance novel, a cabinet full of trophies. 

She slumped into one of the chairs and drummed her fingers on the arm. When the receptionist shot her an irritated glance, she grinned at her and carried on doing it.  
Just as she began to think about that new trick again, her teacher marched through the door, clearly under the impression that she was in control of the situation. When Molly didn’t immediately jump and rush to apologise, she took on an expression of amusing bewilderment. 

“Well, young lady. Do you have anything to say to me?”

She cocked her head to the side, pursing her lips. “Nope,” she drawled, popping the “p”. 

The teacher puffed her chest out. “Like it or not, Miss Simmons, I am your teacher, and I would appreciate it if you showed me the respect I deserve.”  
Molly frowned, feigning confusion. “I thought I was.”

She had to admit that her teacher was no fool. She immediately caught on to what Molly was implying, and gasped sharply. 

“Miss Simmons, I am aware of your position in this school. Now, I am willing to take this matter no further than this office. If I were you, I would think very carefully about what you say to me next, because I don’t know any other local schools which would be willing to take you on.” Her lips twisted into an unpleasant grin, which she no doubt intended to be conciliatory. 

Anger began to race through Molly’s body until she could no longer contain her words. This woman was no better than a bully. How dare she judge her on her past? She had no idea why Molly had been kicked out of so many schools.

A thousand possible responses flew through her mind, until she thought up one she liked. Then she spoke quietly, doing her best not to show her rage.

“If all the teachers here think like you do, then I reckon I’m better off somewhere else.”

Half an hour later, she stalked into her kitchen and slammed the door behind her. Her mother looked up from the kitchen table as she let her bag drop to the floor.

“Good day, sweetheart?” Abigail asked mildly, studying her daughter over the top of her reading glasses.

“Freaking brilliant,” Molly replied, acid in her voice. “I guess school called you?”

“They did,” she confirmed, her even tone not letting any clues slip.

“So don’t you have anything to say to me?” She slumped into the seat opposite her mum.

“I thought I’d give you the chance to explain what happened first.”

Molly swallowed hard. “She was a bully, Mum. It was hot, I couldn’t concentrate…she wouldn’t have listened to anything I had to say. I’d already learned what she was going on about anyway.” Lost for words, she pushed her long fringe out of her eyes. “They all think they know me just because I’ve got through a few schools.”

Abbie pursed her lips, taking off her glasses and setting them aside. Then she leaned over the table to grab Molly’s hands. 

“Molly, listen to me. You’re a clever girl. You have to try and keep your head down while you’re at school, otherwise you’ll keep attracting trouble like this.”

“I don’t attract trouble!” Molly snapped, outraged. 

Abbie raised her eyebrows. “And I suppose you didn’t say anything aggravating to your teacher, did you?”

She fell into a sullen silence for a second. “Fine. Okay. But seriously, Mum, they think they know everything about me because we never stay in the same place for a few months. If we could just settle down somewhere…”

“No,” Abbie cut her off sharply. “Molly, I’m sorry, and I know you don’t understand, but we have to keep moving. I need to be in so many places for my job. I really wish it could be any other way, but trust me. This is the best I can do.”

Molly struggled to hold back her wave of disappointment. She knew how hard Abbie worked, and the sacrifices she’d made to get to where she was, but for a moment there she’d thought she had a chance. She just wanted to be like any other teenage girl, and that was difficult when they moved state every three months.

“Whatever,” she replied, tone flat. “So what did school say?”

“You’ve been suspended for a week for not showing proper respect to staff members, and you’ll be on probation when you go back.”

“Which I won’t,” Molly finished. Abbie frowned, and she nearly rolled her eyes again. “Come on, Mum. After a week, we’ll be in a different state. Again.” 

Abbie would have contradicted her, or at least said something to comfort her, but the boxes already stacked in the hall made any comfort impossible. Most of them still hadn’t been unpacked after their last move.

“I’m going to my room,” Molly said, after they’d sat in silence for a few minutes. “I want to make sure I’ve got all my stuff ready.”

Abbie sank back into her seat as she watched her daughter hurry away. She wasn’t blind, and she could see how badly Molly needed to fit in. The life they led wasn’t fair on her at all. But considering her family history- which Molly was oblivious to -it wasn’t safe to stay in one place. This was as close to normal as they would ever get.

She couldn’t even tell her daughter why, and it was killing her.


	2. Growing Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abbie and Molly think back over the last few years as they move to their new house, and Molly meets someone new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it took this long to update, I couldn't think what to write at all! A lot of this is backstory, but I have at least the next couple of chapters planned. I should update before too long, hope you enjoy it!

They both hated long car journeys.

Over the years, they had been on so many that it was easy for them to settle into a pattern now. Molly would get out her iPod, and maybe fall asleep, whilst Abbie drove and tried not to feel guilty for uprooting her. Again.

Most of their possessions were currently packed into the removals van, but the few things that really mattered were secured in the back of their camper van. For Abbie, that meant a few of her old hunting books and weapons beneath the seats. For Molly, it was her favourite clothes and a few books in a cupboard overhead. This camper van was more of a home to her than any place she’d lived properly. Abbie had had it since she was a baby, and it was the only thing to have stayed with them throughout their lives.

Some of Molly’s happiest memories involved the camper van. There was the night she’d come home from school, only for her and her mum to drive out into the country and sit looking at the stars. That evening they hadn’t been able to find somewhere to eat, so Abbie pulled over and they just ate sandwiches whilst sat in the back. All the nights they’d slept in here because they had nowhere else to go. 

Molly had spent the only part of her childhood which mattered in here.

Still, long journeys always exhausted her. She was used to moving, having something to do, and having to stay in one place was draining. It was about six hours’ journey to their new rental place, and she was asleep within the first forty-five minutes.

Abbie glanced over from the driver’s seat, smiling fondly. When Molly looked as peaceful as this, it was easy to forget the problems she was having at school. 

When she first left John, she thought that a life alone would be easy. Stupidly, she imagined finding a little house somewhere isolated, where she could both raise Molly and keep her safe. In that little fantasy, Molly would be home-schooled. She would find a job flexible enough to allow her to keep an eye on her daughter and earn enough to keep them both. 

There would be no need for Molly to grow up the way Sam and Dean had, always on the move, trained like soldiers.

Well. Molly wasn’t a soldier by any means. But she was restless, like Dean. The incident at school had proved that. And she was as resentful as Sam. She tried not to show it. But Abbie had watched her at her gymnastics lessons. The passion and aggression she poured into it could only come from one place.

They had lived in the same house for almost two years when Molly was still young. The wake-up call had come abruptly, in the shape of a pair of werewolves which had begun to terrorise the nearest town. Abbie phoned another hunter, took Molly and ran. They hadn’t spent six months in the same place since. Not long afterwards, Abbie signed her up for beginner’s classes at the gym. She didn’t want Molly taught to fight, but she needed a way of staying fit. Staying ready, although Abbie hoped to god that it would never be necessary. 

If she knew when she and John first met that this life would drag her as deep as it had…would she have turned and run?

She glanced at her daughter, still fast asleep.

No. She wouldn’t.

Molly began to stir as they drew nearer to their newest home. “Hey, dozy,” Abbie greeted her.

She stretched, blinking sleepily. Her eyes widened with interest as she noticed the beginnings of the town outside her window.

“How far away are we?” she asked.

“Not long. Should only be about half an hour, I think.”

She nodded, her attention already flitting back to the window. A tiny bit of wonder crept into her gaze as she looked at the new town, and it made Abbie smile. Perhaps there was some hope for her after all.

After a while, they finally pulled up to the house. It wasn’t all that different to their last- a little smaller, maybe, but they’d had worse. At least it wasn’t falling to pieces. A house they’d rented two years ago had been so draughty that they slept curled up on the sagging sofa together.

The removal van was already on the driveway. The house came already furnished, so it was just their personal things waiting to be unloaded. 

“I’m going to give them a hand,” Molly said, hopping out of the campervan before Abbie could object. She tried to ignore the twinge of worry in her stomach as she watched her pick one of the heavier boxes out of the van and carry it into the house like it weighed nothing.

Abbie, stop worrying. It doesn’t mean anything.

“Did we pack anything for lunch?” Molly asked once the removal drivers had left and everything was unpacked.

Abbie went pale. “Shit. No. We were up so late last night…”

Rolling her eyes, she replied. “Okay. So give me some money and I can go find somewhere to buy lunch from.”

“Let me get my bag, and we can go together,” she frowned.

“Why?” Molly crossed her arms.

For a split second, Abbie was silent. “Because I want to make sure you’re safe. We’ve never been here before.”

“I know that. I’m fifteen. I can look after myself. You stay here and sort the electricity out.”

“Molly Simmons!” Abbie strode across the room and grabbed hold of Molly’s arm right as she reached the door. “You are going to stay here and wait until I can come with you.”

Molly had stayed very still, but her nostrils were flaring. She ripped her arm away.

“I’m not a child, Mum! I’m not some kid you can wrap in cotton wool! Just stop fussing and let me go, because you can’t keep me locked up forever!”

By the end of the sentence, she was nearly screaming. There was a tear hovering at the corner of her eye. 

Abbie could only look at her for a second. This angry teenage girl was a far cry from the child she thought she knew. A heavy feeling crashed into her gut, and very slowly she turned away.

“Fine. Be back in an hour. There’s fifteen dollars in my coat pocket.”

The slamming door was the only answer she got.

She was trembling as she leaned against the counter. She should have known this was coming. With no way to tell Molly why she was in so much danger, she couldn’t reasonably expect her to keep obeying without question. But if she went out and got hurt…Abbie had no idea what she’d do. She could save her from the world, but she couldn’t save her from herself.

She wished she could stop seeing danger around every corner, because she was suddenly so tired of it.

As Molly walked away down the street, she still shook a little from the adrenaline rush. She had only shouted at her mother because she was so tired of being trapped- after hours in the van, she needed space. She hadn’t actually expected Abbie to give in.

It gave her a little rush of excitement which made her head spin. Despite the argument, she was happy as she wandered down the road.

Their house was only about ten minutes’ walk away from the main street of town. While they were driving through, Molly had noticed a small bakery, and she headed straight for it. She was in the mood for pie. 

It was a small town. Molly had experienced this kind of atmosphere before, so when she entered the bakery and every single person turned to stare at her, she kept her cool. 

“Two chicken and mushroom pies, please,” she asked the woman behind the counter after she’d scanned through what was on offer. The woman began to chat as she got what Molly had asked for.

“Sure, no problem. You new in town, sweetheart?”

“Mmm-hmm. Mum and I are renting the place on Jackson Street.” She didn’t really want to be trapped in a conversation, so she made a show of pulling out the money Abbie had given her.

“Nice place. The owners’ll be glad to have someone there at last.” 

It probably wasn’t a good idea to mention that they wouldn’t be there for long, so Molly just took the pies and handed over the money with a distant smile. “Thanks.”  
“Well, then, see you around.” She handed her the change.

“Yeah,” Molly nodded. “See you.”

When she turned to leave, she smacked straight into somebody else. They grunted as they stumbled backwards.

“Oh! Sorry!” Apologising was the natural reaction, but as soon as the words were out of her mouth she was irritated with herself. Why was she apologising? They shouldn’t have been stood that close to her.

“No, I’m sorry. Should have been more careful, I guess.” The guy smiled endearingly. “Haven’t seen you around before.”

“No. New in town,” she explained briefly. 

He nodded slowly. He wasn’t going to get out of her way any time soon, she realised, so she decided to take the opportunity to stare at him a little.

Or a lot. He was about her own age, definitely not older than a sophomore, and there was the faintest trace of stubble just shadowing his chin. His sharp brown eyes were examining her just as fully as she was him, and he was tall. Tall enough that she had to tilt her chin up at him.  
“What’s your name?” she asked finally.

“James. And yours, honey?”

Her stomach flipped in an entirely new way at the nickname. It took a moment for her to be able to breathe again. “Molly.”

“Nice to meet you, Molly. You’re coming to the high school in September, right?”

“Guess so,” she shrugged. “Not like there’s much choice.”

“I’ll see you there then?” The question hung from the end of the sentence, and his apparent enthusiasm for the idea gave her a surge of confidence.

“Sure. If I don’t run into you before then.”

The smile pulling at his lips grew until it took up most of his face. “I hope we do.”

“Okay. See you, then.” She stepped past him carefully, and as their skin brushed it felt like an electric charge leapt between them. He stiffened, and she almost ran out the door.

Her mum had always taught her that it was a bad idea to get too involved with anyone. They could move on at any time. That meant no real friends, and definitely no boyfriends. She had stuck to that rule. It was hard to get to know people that well, anyway.

But surely she didn’t need to tell her. And there was no way to be sure that James was interested in her like that, anyway. (She was fairly sure he was.)

She knew her limits. She would be able to stop before it went too far, right?

It would be nice to pretend to be normal for a few months. She was looking forward to getting to know James better.


	3. Keeping Secrets

It was obvious that something had happened from the moment Molly came home.

She immediately tensed when she saw Molly coming back up the path. That was quicker than she’d been expecting. Her first instinct was relief that her fears had been unfounded. Her second was apprehension, because she was fairly sure that Molly was going to drag out the argument.

It was a shock when the door didn’t slam. A few seconds later, Molly put her head around the door, grinning broadly. “Hey, Mum. Told you I wouldn’t be too long.”

Abbie arched an eyebrow, still wary. “Glad to see you’re in a better mood.”

She shrugged. “Well, we only just got here, after all. Wouldn’t want to get into a proper argument before at least next week.”

“And that’s it?” 

“Well, unless you wanted to carry on arguing?”

“No. Of course not,” Abbie snapped immediately. 

“Well, that’s sorted. I got us both pie- would you like a drink of water or something?”

“Yeah. Actually, I got the kettle out- would you make tea?”

“Sure.” She disappeared into the kitchen.

Something had definitely happened. Molly never let things go this easily. In that way, at least, she was like her father. This sudden laid-back attitude was too good to be true, it had to be. Maybe she’d be able to pry it out of her over lunch. 

Molly already had the pies on plates with forks next to them, and Abbie’s steaming cup of tea waited on the counter. She didn’t see Abbie as she came to stand just inside the doorway, and for a few seconds she was content just to watch her daughter as she moved around the kitchen. She was humming. Abbie couldn’t remember the last time she’d been this…what was the word? Happy. Yes. Molly was happy.

She turned and saw her there, hovering in the doorway. “Hey, Mum. Can we eat? I’m hungry, and they’re getting cold.”

“Sure, sweetheart.”

They took their places, either side of the table. Molly sighed with ecstasy as she sank her teeth into the pie.

“So, what’s town like?” Abbie asked once they’d been eating in silence for a few minutes. The flicker of unease that crossed Molly’s face would have been easy to miss if she hadn’t known her so well.

“Okay, I guess. Not much different to every other town we’ve lived in.” Her gaze dropped to her lap, and she began to play with one of the silver rings she wore. The corners of Abbie’s lips pulled upwards. She was definitely hiding something. Or trying to, at least. Now all Abbie had to do was find out what. Her old interviewing skills really came in handy in situations like this- and that thought automatically brought back memories of hunting.

That was one thing she wouldn’t be telling her daughter.

“Okay, so…people? Size? Any decent bookshops?” she pressed, before her thoughts could wander any further astray. 

“Er, they seem friendly enough. The woman in the bakery asked me if I was new, a…couple of girls asked where I came from. Like I say. Nothing different.”

“Mm-hmm. What about guys? Anyone interesting there?”

Molly went scarlet. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, and stared down at her lap. Jackpot, Abbie smiled to herself.

She had to give Molly credit, she gave it a good fight. She tried to shrug nonchalantly. “I guess. I didn’t really talk to any. Mum, do we really have to talk about this?”

“What?” Abbie feigned innocence, deciding to give her daughter a break. “A woman can’t go scouting for guys? I might need some company when you’re older, Molls.”

“Mum, gross!” Molly all but shrieked. “I do not need those images in my head!” Her eyes were looking everywhere but Abbie’s face, so that she looked like a rabbit trapped in headlights. Abbie couldn’t help but grin at her discomfort. 

“Sorry, sweetie. Didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“Yes, you did,” Molly muttered. “Can I go sort my bedroom out please?”

“I suppose so. Try not to take too long, though, I need a hand with some of the heavier boxes.”

Molly was off like a shot, taking the rest of her meal with her. Abbie sat back in her chair as she sipped her tea. So there was definitely a boy involved somehow. Well, that wasn’t so bad. A boyfriend she could just about handle, probably, just as long as he didn’t hurt her daughter. She would have to keep an eye on the situation- and find a way to get Molly to tell her the truth.

Up in her bedroom, Molly was deep in thought as she unpacked her belongings. She hadn’t expected her mother to bring up the subject of boyfriends that willingly. Or, if she had, then she hadn’t thought that Abbie would be quite so calm about it all. She had been anticipating some big doom-and-gloom speech about how getting involved with someone was an awful idea and she should really be considering the effect it would have on them both in the long run. Or something to that effect.

Instead, Abbie had almost seemed…amused by the idea.

She didn’t even know if that was an option, anyway. James was nice, sure, but was that just because she was new? Did he act that way with everyone?

There were still boxes waiting half-packed on the floor, but she sank down onto her bed, hands resting behind her head. She was pretty sure she was making something out of nothing. He was a nice guy, he wanted to make her welcome. That was all. 

Common sense said that there was no point in talking to Abbie about him until she knew if there was something between them. She and her mother were close. They practically lived on the road- they had to be. So why was she suddenly scared of talking to her?

She turned onto her stomach, burying her face in a pillow with a groan. This was so frustrating.

She jerked upright as someone cleared their throat in the doorway, her guilty gaze meeting her mum’s amusement.

“Working hard, I see, Molly.”

“Sorry! I was just…I was taking a break.”

“That’s fine. I wasn’t complaining.”

Abbie came further into the room and sat on the bed. Molly sprang to her feet, looking around for anything she could do to make herself seem busy. She was blushing- she could feel the heat in her cheeks. Now that her mum was sat right there, it was suddenly harder to think about telling her anything. She would just tell her that she was being silly- and, to be fair, she probably was.

Abbie was having the same problem. When she was coming upstairs, she’d had almost an entire conversation planned out in her head, but it seemed so clichéd now. She didn’t even know how to start.

Well, Molly was clearly flustered. She couldn’t meet Abbie’s gaze, and she couldn’t stay still. That meant Abbie was right. Something was going on, so maybe it would just be easiest to ask her straight out. 

“Molly,” she began carefully, “You seem a little worried. Is there something you want to tell me about?”

Molly pressed her lips together and didn’t answer. The flush in her cheeks was slowly getting darker. 

“No. You must be imagining things.” Mentally, she floundered for something to say that would make her sound cool and assured and in control. Anything to persuade her mum that she was telling the truth, instead of sounding like every other teenage girl in the world. 

“Don’t you trust me?” Abbie asked mildly. The words tugged at her heart.

“Of course I do!” Molly replied instantly. Then she sighed, indecision weighing the sound down. “I…I don’t know what you’re going to say if I tell you something. I’m scared.”

“I’m not going to judge you. I want to help,” Abbie said firmly.

With a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of her body, Molly finally gave up on unpacking and came to sit cross-legged on the bed, facing Abbie. 

“Okay. So, uh, you know we’re always on the road. And you keep saying how difficult it is to keep in touch with people.”

Abbie didn’t reply, just shifting so she was a little more comfortable on the bed. She knew that the pause was more to give Molly time to think what to say.

“Well…if there was someone I was interested in, and he was interested in me too, what would you say? Just in theory?”

Abbie tried not to smile. It was good to know that she had been right. And another positive- it meant that she already knew what she was going to say.

“I would tell you to be careful. Boyfriends aren’t automatically a bad thing, but you could get hurt. Just theoretically, how well do you know this person?”

“I’ve spoken to him once. And he was, like, really kind.” Molly bit her lip, and looked down at the duvet. “It sounds really stupid, I know, but…”

“It doesn’t sound stupid. It sounds like instinct, and that usually gives you a better idea than anything else.” Abbie took a breath, considering what she was about to say. “It was instinct that led me to your dad.”

“My dad?” Molly looked up keenly, completely side-tracked. “What kind of instinct?”

Abbie recognised the enthusiasm for what it was. She avoided John as much as she could. She couldn’t say too much about him in case she slipped up. But naturally Molly wanted to know more about her other parent. She was going to use every chance she could to learn about him. It was what Abbie would do. 

“We met in a bar. It was awkward at first, but then he followed me outside when I tried to leave. On instinct, of course.” She laughed, remembering John’s hopeful gaze.

Molly was wide eyed. “And you were in love from there?”

“Well, not quite from there. It got complicated. But I knew there wasn’t going to be anyone else.” There never had been anyone else, Molly thought- not that she could remember, at least.

“So why did you…”

Abbie swallowed. That was enough, or this was going to get tricky. “It’s not important. The important thing is, if you think he feels the same way, go by what you feel. You probably won’t regret it.”

The change in conversation disappointed Molly a little, but she accepted it. “I thought you would tell me it wouldn’t be fair on him.”

Abbie’s smile was tainted by sadness. “But that wouldn’t be fair on you. You’re a teenage girl, Molly. This was going to happen eventually. I know you don’t need my blessing, but…if you’re happy, and he doesn’t hurt you, you have it. Just promise me that you’ll be careful.”

“Course I will be,” Molly breathed. 

With a great effort, Abbie lightened the mood. “And I want to know what happens when you see him again.””

“Yeah. I’ll tell you.” Molly’s grin could light up the sky. “Thanks, Mum.”

“Any time, sweetheart. Just remember, I’m your friend. You can trust me.”

Molly flung her arms around her neck, burying her face in her neck. Abbie smiled, a little sad. At least she would get to be a normal teenager some of the time. She didn’t have to be constantly on her guard, like her mother.

“Okay, sweetie.” She pulled away. “Now, are you going to help me with these boxes, or not?”


End file.
